Customization is one of the many unique characteristics of Qdoba’s menu. You can pick every single ingredient that goes into your meal, allowing you to create your perfect bowl, burrito, salad, and more. This level of customization may allow you to combine your favorite flavors, but that doesn’t always make for the healthiest option. Depending on your order, your Qdoba meal can quickly add up to more than 1,000 calories, with a day’s worth of sodium and fat.
There isn’t one blanket definition of healthy that meets everyone’s needs; however, there are a few characteristics to consider when ordering at Qdoba. There are ways to make a calorie-conscious, balanced, and nutrient-dense meal at Qdoba. You may have to give up the 300-calorie tortilla instead of a lighter option, but there are still plenty of strategies to pack flavor into a healthier Qdoba meal.
How To Make Healthy Choices at Qdoba
- Load up on fiber. Using lettuce as a base and including ingredients such as pico de gallo, fajita veggies, and beans adds loads of volume to your meal. This creates a larger meal with fewer calories, and fiber-rich ingredients help make the meal more filling.
- Choose nutritious sides. If you want a side item, the corn and black beans are more nutritious than a basket of chips. However, check your meal’s calorie and nutritional value before adding another few hundred calories on the side.
- Go with a kids meal. The 2 Taco Kit Kids Meal ranges from 170-690 calories, depending on your ingredient choices. This helps manage your portion control and makes you more likely to have a meal with a reasonable number of calories.
What To Avoid on Qdoba’s Menu for a Healthier Meal
- Skip the burrito. The tortilla used for the burrito alone is 300 calories—a lot of calories for a small part of the meal. This means the burritos and quesadillas are better left skipped unless you only eat half the meal.
- Be cautious of condiments. Sour cream, queso, and ranch dressing are among the most calorie-dense condiments at Qdoba. While they add flavor, they also pack high calorie and fat counts with few valuable nutrients. If you like these ingredients, stick to one to limit empty calories.
- Go lean. There isn’t a huge calorie difference between the different protein options at Qdoba, but you will notice a difference in saturated fat. Choosing chicken as your protein ensures fewer grams of saturated fat in your meal compared to orders with beef or pork.
Burritos
Chicken Burrito
Ingredients: Grilled Adobo Chicken (3.5 oz.), Flour Tortilla (12.5″), Black Beans (4 oz.), Hand-Crafted Guacamole (2 oz.), Pickled Red Onion (0.8 oz.), Fajita Veggies (2 oz.), Romaine Lettuce (.25 oz.), Cotija Cheese (.25 oz.), Roasted Tomato Salsa (1 oz.)
Nutrition (Per order):
Calories: 725
Fat: 28 g (Saturated Fat: 7 g)
Sodium: 1,550 mg
Carbs: 93 g (Fiber: 23 g, Sugar: 12 g)
Protein: 33 g
Although this burrito provides more than 70 grams of carbs, it comes with more than 20 grams of fiber. This makes for a filling meal, which may allow you to eat only half and feel satisfied. The chicken provides lean protein, which opens up room for you to get fat grams from healthier sources, like avocado. Add salsa for a flavor boost that doesn’t provide many calories.
Burrito Bowls
Ingredients: Cholula Hot & Sweet Chicken (3.5 oz.), Pinto Beans (4 oz.), Hand-Crafted Guacamole (2 oz.), Mexican Street Corn (1 oz.)
Nutrition (Per order):
Calories: 430
Fat: 24 g (Saturated Fat: 5 g)
Sodium: 1,040 mg
Carbs: 44 g (Fiber: 19 g, Sugar: 9 g)
Protein: 25 g
This bowl may only have four ingredients, but it packs a big flavor punch. The chicken is made with Cholula hot sauce and honey, making for a spicy and sweet protein that provides fewer grams of saturated fat than other meats. The beans bring in carbs and plenty of fiber, while the Mexican street corn and guacamole load in even more flavor. You’ll get plenty of healthy fats from the guac and can add cilantro and salsa for even more flavor for a few calories.
Nachos
Chicken Nachos
Ingredients: Grilled Adobo Chicken (3.5 oz.), Black Beans (4 oz.), Tortilla Chips (4 oz.), Pickled Jalapenos (1 oz.), Fajita Veggies (2 oz.), Shredded Cheese (1 oz.)
Nutrition (Per order):
Calories: 1,200
Fat: 51 g (Saturated Fat: 15 g)
Sodium: 1,755 mg
Carbs: 126 g (Fiber: 22 g, Sugar: 7 g)
Protein: 59 g
The base of chips and queso starts this meal at 730 calories. To lower this starting value, skip the queso altogether and top your chips with a serving of shredded cheese instead. Add grilled chicken for lean protein and pickled jalapenos and fajita veggies for a flavor boost. Black beans bring in fiber to make the meal more filling.
Quesadilla
Chicken Quesadilla
Ingredients: Grilled Adobo Chicken (3.5 oz.), Warm Flour Tortilla (12.5″), Fajita Veggies (2 oz.), Roasted Tomato Salsa (1 oz.), Shredded Cheese (1.0 oz.)
Nutrition (Per order, without cheese):
Calories: 650
Fat: 28.5 g (Saturated Fat: 10 g)
Sodium: 1,585 mg
Carbs: 95 g (Fiber: 6 g, Sugar: 3 g)
Protein: 36 g
Like the burrito, a quesadilla starts with a high calorie count due to the tortilla. However, a quesadilla wouldn’t be possible without the tortilla, so your best bet is to limit your portion and combine it with lean protein, like chicken. By eating only half of this order, you’ll get plenty of protein while keeping your calories, carbs, and fat grams in a more reasonable place.
Tacos
Chicken Taco
Ingredients: Cholula Hot & Sweet Chicken (3.5 oz), Soft Corn Tortilla, Hand-Crafted Guacamole (2 oz.), Cotija Cheese (.25 oz.)
Nutrition (Per order):
Calories: 335
Fat: 17.5 g (Saturated Fat: 4.5 g)
Sodium: 835 mg
Carbs: 24 g (Fiber: 6 g, Sugar: 8 g)
Protein: 22 g
This single taco is balanced enough to serve as the entire meal. The corn tortilla is only 60 calories, which allows you room to load in plenty of nutritious and flavorful ingredients. Go with chicken for a lean protein and save your fat grams for healthy avocado and a sprinkle of cotija cheese. Add lettuce and cilantro for crunch, flavor, and volume for zero calories.
Salads
Citrus Lime Chicken Salad
Ingredients: Grilled Chicken, Citrus-Lime Vinaigrette, Shredded Romaine Lettuce, Black Beans, Pico de Gallo (Mild), Chile Corn Salsa (Mild), Tortilla Strips
Nutrition (Per order):
Calories: 520
Fat: 22 g (Saturated Fat: 4 g)
Sodium: 1190 mg
Carbs: 48 g (Fiber: 16 g, Sugar: 10 g)
Protein: 35 g
Although it is the only pre-built salad on the Qdoba menu, this option requires no modifications to make a balanced meal. With plenty of fiber and protein, a reasonable number of calories, and little saturated fat, this salad can be enjoyed as is. However, if you are looking for a lower-calorie option, swap the dressing for salsa to save significant calories and fat grams.
